@Moeregaard Thanks for all of the help. I've been working hard the past couple of months and finally got it to a point where I could put it in the water. I still have a lot I need to do to get it looking pretty, but after fiber-glassing the bottom, I didn't want to wait any longer. This is the first time I've ever been in a canoe/kayak, so it took a few minutes to get comfortable balancing and paddling.

I noticed that is was less stable than I expected it to be. It tracks straight, so I haven't put a skeg board on the bottom, but I wanted you opinion on if you did or not. I'm trying to determine if a 1 x 1 board along the bottom would really reduce the risk of tipping (or at least the speed of it rolling over in calm water when some leans to the side). While it adds to the buoyancy, I feel like it would create 96 square inches of surface area pushing water as it rolls. Not sure. Any thoughts?

Congrats on the launch! Your boat looks great. The Can Yak is a little tender around center, but you will get used to it. They're pretty stable on the water. When paddling solo, they seem to perform best if you're all the way aft in the cockpit. I did add the 1" skeg to the boats, but these will have little to no effect on the tippiness. What they will do is allow the boat to track better in a straight line, and will also minimize drift in a crosswind.

Been a while since I've posted, but I'm looking forward to getting the canyak out of storage and putting the finishing touches on it. As it turns out, I messed up during the build and put one of my members too far center. Plans said 56" from the stems, which for some reason I read as 5' 6" once and 56" another time. So my cockpit is 10 inches short. While still plenty of room for a single person to pilot, it makes it cramped for two people. Can't think of a solution that doesn't compromise the internal structure. This probably explains why my chines were snapping since I don't have the symmetrical curve either. Also a little heavier (already over weight, since I used 1/4 in marine plywood for the top decking).

Curt, I wouldn't sweat the size of the cockpit too much. Even with the full-length cockpit, the 14-foot Can-Yak is pretty cramped for two people, and if they're full-sized adults you won't have much freeboard above the waterline. You probably know this, but with one person aboard you have a ton of room for anything you'd want to take along. I haven't weighed my boats, but I suspect they're a little on the heavy side as well, since I used 6mm (~1/4") ply for the hull planking. I think the 4mm stuff would have been a better choice--plenty strong and much easier to work with.

This is my first time using epoxy, so I was pretty nervous about mixing. It wasn't too bad, but I'm making a lot of waste. I don't think it will be as bad when I go to encapsulate, but trying to paint it on and then get the boards lined up perfectly is taking more time than I want.

The best way I have found to make epoxy joints drives me a little crazy. I cut everything to the best of my ability (never perfectly) and then clamp them together if possible. Next, even if not called out, I drill and screw the parts together. So, and here's the crazy making part, the joint is perfectly screwed together, and then I have to take it all apart, mix and apply epoxy, and then screw the parts back together. If you want to leave the screws in, then drill carefully and use the right quality of screws. If you want to take them out after the glue dries, you could probably just power drive in some drywall screws.
Encapsulation is a whole other operation.
By the way, I built Pirogue, a stitch and glue design, but very similar to CanYak as far as handling. I was always afraid I was going to tip over, but I NEVER DID ! With the deck on your boat, I imagine it would be harder to tip far enough to take on water. Just keep using it, and you will develop skill and confidence in your fine small boat.

Thanks for the comment. Just as an update, with the warmer weather here in Georgia, I took out the Can-Yak for the first time this year. My wife came along, and we both fit in the modified cockpit. I had to put my legs through the front members some, but it left plenty of room for a second person.

There was only two problems. First, we're not used to being in a boat together, so there was a lot of rocking and stress about keeping us upright. We never tipped, but it takes a lot of your energy out of your core to constantly adjust (sometimes working against each other). I'm sure that will improve as we keep trying.

Second, I didn't have any hard back support being that far forward. Leaning back into her meant losing stability, so I might have to come up with some kind of strap. Something that can keep my back supported, but not restrict me getting in and out of the boat in the event of roll over.